


give me wings

by spoke



Category: Yami No Matsuei
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-29
Updated: 2012-07-29
Packaged: 2017-11-10 23:09:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/471737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spoke/pseuds/spoke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which 003 is the best invention ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	give me wings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stillskies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/gifts).



> Special thanks to exor674 for supplying this: ♪ ! Which made properly conveying Watari's sometimes unhinged cheerfulness so much easier. <3 
> 
> Also, I must apologize for being unable to find a last minute beta - all mistakes here are thoroughly my own.

When he got back to the office, Konoe was waiting for him with a face like a storm. He stopped in the doorway, trying to figure out what he’d forgotten...

...what had he forgotten... candies for the office, parts for tomorrow’s project, snacks for tomorrow’s project assuming it worked properly...

Oh! He smiled slightly, just a little embarrassed. “I’m guessing my partner came back without me?”

“He not only came back without you, he had no idea where you’d gone. Are you trying to get yourself fired, Watari? You don’t seem to understand, you have to have a partner.” 

A soft cough behind him interrupted the Chief and prompted Watari move out of the entrance. “Sorry, sorry! I was a little distracted there ♪. My fault!” He smiled at the rather severe looking man as he passed. 

“I don’t think we’ve met yet? I’m Watari Yutaka.” Just in the hopes that it would have a better effect, he tried an even bigger smile.

Nothing. The man’s frown was a disturbing mirror of the Chief’s. “Seiichiro Tatsumi. Secretary of the Summons Division.” A very formal little bow, and then he was completely ignoring Watari in favor of handing papers to the Chief and discussing some sort of business that Watari honestly just wasn’t that interested in. 

Instead, he focused on the ceiling, wondering idly how it was constructed and whether it could be shored up better. A shame he’d never been that interested in architecture♪ Machines were generally a lot more interesting, and safer to take apart if you needed to correct a mistake...

He got drawn back out of his musings by the Chief’s voice. “Watari? Are you listening?” 

He shrugged, maybe not the best reaction but he was getting bored. “Yeah, sure. Don’t lose your partner on missions, right?” 

Really not the best choice, judging from the way Konoe was now pinching the bridge of his nose. “No! Well, yes, don’t lose them - but you’re supposed to be working together. You don’t just vanish and leave them wondering where the hell you’ve gone! Not to mention without a clue what’s going on with the assignment.”

Now that was just insulting. “What?! I finished that, I told him as much! I found the girl, she was refusing to move from where she’d died.” He shuddered a bit, remembering, and pushed his glasses back into place. “It was some kind of a suicide pact, Chief. The other girl might need watching, too. But I talked to her, I convinced her to move on and I assumed she did? Reincarnation should have her now, that’s where she was supposed to be headed. Then I told... era, my partner,” Way to go, not even remembering his name, this sounds professional, “anyway, I told him what happened and that I was going to do some shopping - the candy dish was empty!” He gestured to it in case they didn’t realize which one he meant, which also probably not helping, “and I needed some parts and things for my project for tomorrow.” 

The Chief (and, he noticed, the secretary) just stared at him for a moment or so. Then there was a soft disapproving noise from the... Tatsumi! Yes. He’d need to remember this one, Secretary was in charge of finances, right? 

The Chief sighed as well, before drawing a deep breath. “Well, you did the job right. But you need to work with your partner, Watari. He’s there to help you. He’ll show you the ropes, make sure everything is done by the books.”

Watari beamed, trying to keep the anger out of it even though he was sure it got through anyway. “Keep track of me so I don’t go abusing my powers. Which I have absolutely no interest in♪” He moved a little closer and lowered his voice. “I’m sure you remember why I got transferred, Chief Konoe.” 

Ha, and sec- Tatsumi had looked up slightly. Got your interest! Though he was sure he’d been quiet enough not to be overheard, and Konoe wasn’t about to make an announcement to the office. 

Except. That thundercloud frown was back. And Konoe’s voice was as low as his as he replied. “Oh, I remember why you got transferred. And believe me, I’m seeing what they warned me about.” 

Damn, he’d been made. “Well. I’ll just go look for that partner, then. He’s around here somewhere, right?” 

He had not known that Chief Konoe could smirk. Although he hadn’t been here terribly long yet. “Watari. You do remember you have a desk? That’s where you do the paperwork. He’ll be somewhere around there, probably waiting for an apology.” 

Hopefully his face wasn’t twitching, though it felt like it was. 

* * *

So. The design was of course flawless, and he thought he’d done well with such natural materials as he’d included. Now he only needed to focus... there. 

The lovely little eyes opened, and blinked at him as he waited, beaming. Perfectly natural looking head rotation, 270 degrees as designed - but was it going to fly? 

003 took its first toddling steps, fell off the desk and - success! She was flying! “Yes! 003, you are a success! Wonderful! Genius! I can’t wait to see people’s faces in the office♪” He reached out to her, noting with some pleasure that the imprinting had taken as well, and she came straight to him. “Let’s go introduce you to your living brothers and sisters, eh 003?” 

It would be interesting to see how they interacted with his precious little invention.

* * *

One hour into the day, and so far one yelling, two matching skeptical looks from the Gushoshin, and a great deal of enthusiastic squealing from every female member of the staff that had caught sight of 003. He hadn’t even thought of that! 

Which was kind of sad, really. He’d been locked up with the super computer crew too long...

He was buried in paperwork when the Chief came in, but not so much so that he couldn’t enjoy the double-take his presence got. Or probably 003, but her being his invention meant it counted for him, right? Now he only needed to take care of his partner problem...

After all, he spent most of his time in the lab anyway, right? They probably shouldn’t be wasting the resources, giving him a minder. And the Secretary didn’t have one either, which was frankly insane. Money tempted people to do stupid things! It was a well-known fact! 

Maybe the Chief counted as his partner? 

That train of thought lasted until Tatsumi actually came in, saw 003, and narrowed his eyes in a way that made Watari think of a snake hissing. “What is that creature doing here! You can’t have a pet in the office, especially not a bird, they’re disgusting!” 

“Hey!” Watari surged out of his chair and around the desk, pleased at the surprise on Tatsumi’s face - he could just bet this guy didn’t get a lot of serious resistance. “First of all, I have an aviary and I probably know more about birds than you’d ever care to. Second, she isn’t a live bird. 003 is my latest invention.” 

Oooh, that incredulity is worth it. If that had been the only reward he’d gotten for making 003, the way Tatsumi’s face transforms would have been worth it. “Zero zero three?” He pushes his glasses back up, leaning forward just a bit to try and examine her. 

She fluffs out in annoyance - so precious♪. He had to take a moment to soothe her, and then lifted her off his shoulder so Tatsumi could get a better view. “A _mechanical_ owl. No need to worry about droppings whatsoever♪” 

“How is it moving?” ...was that a twitch? Did he almost smile? 

Watari knew he was, but hopefully that went unnoticed. “My particular power is to bring things I’ve made to life - drawings and machines, usually.” Though he was a little inclined to doubt, given how much Secretary Tatsumi radiated competence. It could be a very interesting friendship, even though it was clearly going to take time. 

Eh, dead men have all the time they need for anything they might want to do. 

Dammit, he’d forgotten the partner again.

There was a low, thoughtful hum from Tatsumi as he stood back, briskly straightening his jacket. “Well, it is very clever. I suppose you’ve managed to make it imprint on you?” 

He really had to find out where Tatsumi learned so much about birds. “Absolutely♪” 

“Well, your now former partner is allergic to them. So congratulations - until we can find someone else, you’ll be working solo.” 

Which meant he could now stop trying to remember the man’s name entirely! Wonderful! And he had just the idea for how to drive off the next one - though he would have to be careful, with Tatsumi watching him like that. He’d have to try and get 003 to deliver messages, she’d be an excellent distraction when needed.

And nobody could prove he’d done anything if he wasn’t there.


End file.
